grrr...

[Jeremy Roussak]

I vowed to post no more of these, but I was fiddling idly today and my willpower went.

Thoughts?

Jeremy

[RSL]

That's a fairly serious chunk of ice, Jeremy. A couple of fun shots. All you needed was an ice pick.

[Rob C]

That's a fairly serious chunk of ice, Jeremy. A couple of fun shots. All you needed was an ice pick.

Or a big glass.

;-)

Rob

[JNB_Rare]

Nicely done, Jeremy.

It's strange. If I'd gone to Iceland, I would have filled a card with images of these beautiful formations. But, having now seen the Iceland pictures of at least a dozen friends and acquaintances (all very accomplished photographers), I may have to strike Iceland off my bucket list, along with the American Southwest and a few other locations. Would I manage to get a more beautiful/inspiring picture of Gullfoss or Antelope Canyon than has been taken to date? That's my Grrr. And yet, there is still the experience of seeing something first hand, and of having one's own image, that would probably make it all worthwhile.

[Mjollnir]

Nicely done, Jeremy.

It's strange. If I'd gone to Iceland, I would have filled a card with images of these beautiful formations. But, having now seen the Iceland pictures of at least a dozen friends and acquaintances (all very accomplished photographers), I may have to strike Iceland off my bucket list, along with the American Southwest and a few other locations. Would I manage to get a more beautiful/inspiring picture of Gullfoss or Antelope Canyon than has been taken to date? That's my Grrr. And yet, there is still the experience of seeing something first hand, and of having one's own image, that would probably make it all worthwhile.

I wouldn't worry so much about the US SW.  It's HUGE, and there are innumerable things to see and shoot there.  Forget Antelope Canyon (upper or lower) and lose yourself in the vastness of it.

[Rob C]

Nicely done, Jeremy.

It's strange. If I'd gone to Iceland, I would have filled a card with images of these beautiful formations. But, having now seen the Iceland pictures of at least a dozen friends and acquaintances (all very accomplished photographers), I may have to strike Iceland off my bucket list, along with the American Southwest and a few other locations. Would I manage to get a more beautiful/inspiring picture of Gullfoss or Antelope Canyon than has been taken to date? That's my Grrr. And yet, there is still the experience of seeing something first hand, and of having one's own image, that would probably make it all worthwhile.

I'd go with instinct: if you can't top 'em - there's little point.

Seeing Iceland without the bother and obligation that cameras force upon you could be cool. (No pun intended.)

I did a shoot in Kenya many years ago, and part of it was done not far from the border, with Mt Kilimanjaro rising up into the sky. I did a couple of quick shots just before we left the location, because I was there, anyway, but I've seen so many much better shots from specialists that it makes me pleased I didn't waste more time and Kodachrome on it. I'm not a landscape shooter anyway, so even spending more time probably wouldn't have made a heap of difference.

A good thing about being in stock photography too, was that one got a lot of agency brochures from the likes of Image Bank and FPG; the work those guys in those two agencies produced was out of this world. Photoshop didn't exist in those years; they didn't need it.

;-(

Rob

[JNB_Rare]

I'd go with instinct: if you can't top 'em - there's little point.

I usually go with ignorance (i.e. not looking at others' pics)  . The bliss fades later.

Right now my personal situation is such that travel is limited to day trips and the odd overnight. However, I moved to this part of my country just five years ago, so there's lots I haven't seen right here.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Thanks, all.

Nicely done, Jeremy.

It's strange. If I'd gone to Iceland, I would have filled a card with images of these beautiful formations. But, having now seen the Iceland pictures of at least a dozen friends and acquaintances (all very accomplished photographers), I may have to strike Iceland off my bucket list, along with the American Southwest and a few other locations. Would I manage to get a more beautiful/inspiring picture of Gullfoss or Antelope Canyon than has been taken to date? That's my Grrr. And yet, there is still the experience of seeing something first hand, and of having one's own image, that would probably make it all worthwhile.

There is! I take loads of photos of places and scenes that have been photographed to death. But the shot of Mesa Arch that hangs on my wall hangs on my wall because its' my shot of Mesa Arch. It may not be as well-composed as some others, and it may have been taken under constraints of other people being around, but I look at it and think back to that lovely, cold morning when I saw for the first time the way the sunlight hits the underside of the arch and marvelled. Nobody else's photograph could have done that, even if I'd been there, come back with nothing and had to buy one. The same applies to Gullfoss, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, the Eiffel tower, the leaning tower of Pisa... Go to the jökullsárlón beach: none of the lumps of ice I saw and photographed will be there!

So, I couldn't disagree more with Rob's agreement with you. Maybe it's the different stance of an amateur and a retired professional showing through.

Jeremy

[JNB_Rare]

But the shot of Mesa Arch that hangs on my wall hangs on my wall because its' my shot of Mesa Arch. It may not be as well-composed as some others, and it may have been taken under constraints of other people being around, but I look at it and think back to that lovely, cold morning when I saw for the first time the way the sunlight hits the underside of the arch and marvelled. Nobody else's photograph could have done that, even if I'd been there, come back with nothing and had to buy one.

Yes, being there is often worth it – even if you drove two days to get there, and the weather is suddenly crap, and there's no break predicted for days, and you might never get back. Occasionally something entirely different but equally interesting will present itself.

[Patricia Sheley]

As for being there, I was working my way up the Reach this week recording light times for a series at Odin's Eye, and was absolutely dumbstruck/gobsmacked to see a seal floating down the Reach on icepack. I didn't record a single shot but was almost questioning whether I had even seen it as I neared my outhaul. Spoke to Marine Patrol this morning and he said he thinks one of his officers got the shot... sorry I didn't, but it is deeply imprinted on my growing understanding of the changing tides and how little I yet know of my surroundings. Victorious in my stupidity!